WCSU to host conference on opioid crisis and addiction

The Western Connecticut State University Justice and Law Society will present the documentary "Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict at the Heroin and Opioid Awareness Conference presented by the Heroin Education Action Team (HEAT), a partner program with the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut. The event will take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Ives Concert Hall in White Hall on the university's Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. The conference will be free and the public is invited.

The documentary was created by the FBI and DEA to educate students and parents about the dangers of addiction. The movie will be followed by a panel discussion with a federal prosecutor, DEA agent, and two local parents who lost children to an opioid overdose.

The HEAT program aims to increase community understanding of the dangers associated with deadly drugs like oxycodone, heroin and fentanyl, which have become widely and easily available in Connecticut.

WCSU senior and member of the Justice and Law Society Joseph Tamberelli found HEAT through research last semester and decided to spread its message to WCSU. He believes there needs to be more awareness about the opioid epidemic, especially in Connecticut.

"Many of us, myself included, have all been affected by this terrible epidemic in a personal way," Tamberelli said. "The objective of this event is for as many people as possible to leave this event with knowledge about the epidemic, in hopes to prevent further deaths from occurring."

For more information, contact the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.